


spend all your time waiting (for that second chance)

by angelranger



Category: Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Brief Mention of Blood, Brief Pining, F/F, POV Second Person, because I said so, i'm experimenting, rita is nice in this, the college/angel au no one asked for
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2021-02-18 23:23:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22234879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelranger/pseuds/angelranger
Summary: You may not know her name and have never properly seen her face unobscured or heard her talk, but you do know one thing for sure. And that is that you may be a little smitten by her, you can just hear Zack’s boisterous laugh in the distance because God, does this girl have you more than just a ‘little smitten'.
Relationships: Kimberly Hart/Trini
Comments: 6
Kudos: 96





	spend all your time waiting (for that second chance)

**18**

You're a freshman in college the first time you lay your eyes on her and you can't help but stare. She's possibly the most precious thing you've ever laid eyes on, hidden away in the back corner of the class, hair hiding her face and hands fidgeting on top of her notebook. You find it odd that she has a notebook when everyone else, including yourself, has a laptop, but you decide not to question it and take up residence in the last available seat beside her.

You stare for a little while longer, admiring the way her short dark locks curl to perfection, caressing the back of her neck; how her skin seems to glow from the small rays of sun entering the classroom; how her hands seem to keep a methodical rhythm as they tap on the desk. Everything about her has left you enchanted and you don't even know her name or anything about her.

This continues for the majority of your freshman year. You continue to stare at her until your lectures start, which are every Tuesday and Thursday morning, for the majority of the year, and she continues to be this elusive character in your life.

You may not know her name, and you may have never properly seen her face unobscured, or even heard her talk; but you do know one thing for sure. And that is that you may be a little smitten by her. You can just hear Zack’s boisterous laugh in the distance, because God, does this girl have you more than just a ‘little smitten' . 

By the end of the year you conclude that she must be some kind of angel. It's the only explanation.

**19**

After a long summer it's finally time to go back to college. You'd spent the entire summer back in Angel Grove with your family, having barbecues every other weekend, catching up with old friends, and having many a camp out with the boys. All in all it was a summer well spent, except that you had a certain someone on your mind for the majority of it.

You're on your way to the first class of your sophomore year of college with your best friend, Zack, who is talking aimlessly in your ear about a new girl in one of his classes, you think her name is Tammy, when you finally see _her_ face. 

It's even more beautiful than you had imagined it would be. 

Oddly enough, the first thing you notice is the shimmer of her cheeks that literally makes her glow in the sun, even though they're hollowed slightly from the sharpness of her high cheekbones. Your gaze wanders next to her bowed pink lips that look so plump and kissable, if you do say so yourself. Your eyes flick up the slope of her pert nose until you reach her eyes, her deep coffee coloured eyes, that you realise are staring straight back at you with a curiosity that is far too innocent in your opinion. Her lips twitch slightly at the corners and you're on the verge of grinning like an idiot back at her when you're interrupted.

"Trini!" Zack whisper yells tugging your arm so you can face him, however your head is slow to follow your body as you try and savour as much of this interaction with the mystery girl as possible. Her aura is so enticing you're beginning to think that she _actually_ might be the closest thing to an angel you've ever encountered.

"What?" You whisper yell back, turning for the briefest moment before you search for those enticing brown eyes again, your face drops however when you see that she's not there anymore, seemingly disappearing into thin air. When you turn back around, Zack just clicks his tongue and rolls his eyes with a fond smile. 

"What?" you repeat.

"You're so whipped by this girl and you don't even know her name, Crazy Girl."

**19½**

"Alright class." Your teacher says as she walks in with a smile on her face as always, her voice unsurprisingly chipper. "For your classes this week you'll be working with a partner on a project that will be worth 25% of your grade come the end of this scholastic year. Before you get excited I've already put you into pairs and after you've sorted yourselves into them one of you will come up to my desk to pick up what your topic for the project will be out of this hat." She said as she snatched a snapback off of one of the girls in the front of the class, who whined slightly while patting her hair down.

"Miss. Banks that's not cool." The student complained.

"Well, Miss Oliver, sometimes things in life aren't ' _cool'._ " She replied, placing pieces of paper into the hat. You sit up slightly in anticipation of who you're going to be paired with because you know you're bound to be paired with some lazy ass who will expect you to do all of the work. You're confused, however, when Miss Banks yells out; "Miss Gomez and Miss Hart." You have no idea who this girl is and you're about to call out your teacher for her mistake when you feel a tap on your shoulder. You turn around ready to berate this person for invading your personal space when you come face to face with your mystery girl and all breath seems to leave your body in that moment.

"I don't think we've properly introduced ourselves." You're too awestruck to speak, her voice is soft yet raspy, as smooth as honey and you find yourself already falling for it. You wonder why she's speaking to you, after over a year of you admiring her from afar and her seemingly not even acknowledging your existence, when she continues her sentence. "I'm Kimberly Hart."

_‘Hart’ as in my partner?_

She giggles and nods and it's then you realise you'd said that out loud, and then you also realise that you want to make her giggle as much as possible because it is the most adorable thing you have ever heard.

"I'm Trini." You reply, sticking your hand out for her to shake, causing electricity to shoot up your arm and warm up your body when your skin makes contact with hers. You look up with wide eyes and notice that Kimberly looks just as shocked as you.

It doesn't hit you until everyone else is moving seats to be with their partners that your mystery girl is your partner and that you're going to be spending a lot of time with her outside the class. You thank whichever deity is watching over you for giving you this opportunity when you notice Miss. Banks shoot a wink in your direction.

**20**

It's on your twentieth birthday that you realise you're in love with Kimberly and have been since the first day you saw her in your freshman year.

Ever since you and Kim had been paired for that project you've become inseparable, although it did take a couple of months to become that close with each other, what with Kim being as reserved as she is, not really letting you in on a level other than within class hours. It took endless trying on your end to get her to divulge a little bit of information about herself, like her full name, that still feels sweet on your tongue every time you say it. _Kimberly Ann Hart._ What her favourite pastime, colour, film, book and so on were.

Those being music, pink, Aladdin, and Kim _“couldn’t possibly pick a favourite.”_

You'd learned to never ask about her family after you'd brought it up once and she'd fled your dorm faster than a bat out of hell. You figure she'll tell you one day, but for now you can settle for being introduced to her best and possibly _only_ friend, Tommi Oliver, who you'd come to realise was the polar opposite of Kim. Maybe that's why they worked so well as a duo.

Zack had wanted to throw you a party to celebrate your birthday, but you just wanted a quiet night in with your closest friends, and besides, you could have a giant party next year for your 21st birthday. You decided on a game night and invited the boys, Kim, and Tommi, who by some weird coincidence was the girl Zack’s class that he had a crush on. You think it's cute he has a crush.

You think Kim falling asleep in your bed at the end of the night is cuter, though.

**20¼**

You've decided to major in Psychology with a minor in English Literature, while Kim is going to major in Music, also with a minor in English Literature, it makes your insides all happy to know that you'll still share this with her. Not that you're surprised, you _have_ seen Kim's book collection and her music room. It's unreal how she's somehow managed to accumulate so much stuff over the years, especially with a good proportion of her copies being vintage records, or first edition books. You assume she inherited it off of a family member, even if she never speaks of them. You haven't even seen a picture of them. You don't ask her about it. You've noticed the tenseness in her muscles, the clenching of her jaw, the glassy, faraway look in her eyes when you speak of your own family.

You're walking to your first class as a junior when you feel someone's presence beside you along with a cool hand slipping in to your own. It only takes you a few seconds to recognise Kim's scent and you feel a grin spread across your face as you interlock your fingers, feeling her squeeze your hand slightly.

You walk her to class and she departs with a chaste kiss to your cheek. You blush and she giggles.

You can already tell that this year is going to be amazing.

**20½**

It's New Year's and you've somehow allowed yourself to be dragged to a party by Zack. “Somehow” meaning he bribed you with beer, and you accepted. It isn't as terrible as you thought it would be, there's a steady game of beer pong, a makeshift dance floor, and an at home bar equipped with its own bartender. You're mildly impressed. The music playing is bearable and after a few drinks you find yourself swaying to the music lightly at the edge of the dancefloor as the clock ticks closer to midnight.

You see Zack and Tommi dancing a few feet away, meaning that if Tommi is here then Kimis bound to be nearby. You spot Jason and Billy dominating yet another game of beer pong on your quest. You search the crowd of people for your favourite brunette but you can't see her anywhere. You try not to worry because, after all, you're not actually sure if Kim is even at this party, although you've listened to countless rants from the other girl about how Tommi is constantly dragging her to parties, never letting her enjoy her Saturday nights in peace with a nice book so you take for granted that she's lurking around somewhere.

You look around once more, searching the edge of the dancefloor and in the kitchen, but there's still no sign of her. _If I was an introvert dragged to a party where would I go?_ You think and then it hits you because _of course_ Kim would escape to somewhere where there would be no people to disturb her.

You find the backdoor to the house and it leads you on to a balcony lightly covered in a layer of soft snow. You spot Kim a few feet ahead sitting on the balcony steps with her knees pulled closely to her chest and her arms wrapped tightly around them, her frame shivering in the cold. You don't even think when you take off your jacket and wrap it around her shoulders, causing her to jump slightly, but relax when she realises it's you.

She threads her arms into the sleeves, laughing softly when they come up just short of her wrists.

"Shouldn't you be inside?" Her voice is soft and inquisitive and you fall in love every time you hear it.

"Shouldn't you?" You counter. She shrugs. "What are you doing out here anyway?"

"It got too claustrophobic in there." She whispers, her head lowered in what you perceive as shame, though you don't understand because there's nothing to be ashamed about. It tugs at your heart slightly to see her so down.

"Hey." You say to get her attention using the index finger of your right hand to nudge her chin up slightly. "There's nothing to be ashamed about, okay?" She nods in response but you can tell she doesn't really believe you.

"You hear that?" She asks and you shake your head. "The countdown." She elaborates. 

It's faint but you can hear it.

_10, 9..._

She turns to you and there's this look in her eye that you can't describe because you've never seen it before. Her eyes sparkle, but not happily or excitedly and it frustrates you that you can't put your finger on it.

_8, 7..._

"Do you want to know what my New Year's wish is?" You nod because you're really hoping it's the same as yours in that you wish to get the bravery to make the first move and just finally kiss her.

_4, 3..._

"This." She breathes and begins to lean in like she's going to kiss you; maybe she is going to kiss you, you hope she's going to kiss you, I mean her face is getting really close and _holy shit she-_

_2, 1..._

Her lips are soft and warm despite the cold and all that's running through your head is the fact that _holy shit she's kissing me._ The girl of your dreams, the girl you've had a crush on for two years is kissing you and it takes you a couple of seconds but soon enough you're kissing her back and you pull her closer to your body until she’s practically on your lap. That is, until she decides to swing a leg over you lap and settle down, and _holy hell that is hot._

You wrap your arms tightly around her waist until your bodies are flush together. Her hands are resting gently against the sides of your neck and she's twirling the baby hairs at the back of your neck in such a leisurely way that you'd think you'd kissed a million times before. She seems so content and comfortable on your lap and you can't help but to feel the same. You could honestly stay this way forever.

You wish you could.

**21**

It's your twenty first birthday and Kimberly, your _girlfriend_ , God you just can't get used to calling her that, of six months has planned possibly the best birthday party ever. It's nothing extravagant but she's somehow managed to pull together all of the important people in your life into one room to celebrate your birthday. There's a table full of snacks, courtesy of each individual guest, half of them you have no idea what they are but you're touched by the idea of everyone bringing a bit of their heritage to your party.

You wonder when Kim's birthday is.

**22**

_Fuck._

You're graduating.

You don't know how you've done it but here you are; walking across the stage to get your diploma. You look into the crowd and you spot your parents immediately clapping and cheering loudly but you couldn't care less about the scene they're making because they're proud of you, and you were making just as much of a scene when Kimbery was walking across the stage. Someone had to. The only people there for her are you and Tommi, but you noticed Miss Banks with a proud and teary smile on her face when she walked across the stage and you can't help but wonder what the connection is.

After a year and a half of dating you still have no clue about her family, who they are, where they are, if she even has any.

But you'd like to think that she considers your family hers. After an incredibly rocky start, your mom has come to absolutely adore her and they have this special bond over cooking and sharing traditional foods from their respective cultures. Your dad spoils her to bits as if she's his own daughter, which you're relieved about, but it saddens you because you know your dad can sense the despair in Kim when she's around your family sometimes; he's just trying to be that fatherly figure that she seems to be missing out on. The twins tease and annoy her as much as they do you, considering her their “much better, but still annoying” older sister. They're thick as thieves and you couldn't be happier. 

You've learnt that Kim, despite being so young, has been with her fair share of people and has fallen in love a number of times. Only to have her heart broken over and over again. You can tell she's been through a lot and you're sure you don't even know a fifth of what she's gone through.

She came out to you a month or two after you'd started dating and it was unexpected because you'd wrongly assumed she was gay, too, but late in the night you'd found yourself googling pansexuality because you had no idea and you'd be damned if you remained ignorant to your girlfriends sexuality.

You remember how she'd explained it to you.

_"I really love people. I love falling in love and connecting with people. All of that is love. There isn't a way I can properly explain it. I have a passion for people who are passionate about something. There's just something about people in general that I'm so drawn to, whether it be how captivated I am by their eyes, their favourite book, their thoughts on stars and galaxies, or what they named their childhood imaginary friend. People are so fascinating and I don't see the use in limiting myself from the wonders of what God created."_

If she doesn't write a book or a whole concept album someday you think it will be a crime to the world. Her words are what make you fall in love with _her_ each and every day.

**22¾**

It's February 14th.

Valentine’s day.

But, most importantly, it's Kim's birthday and she's only just turning 22, so you've been told, when you asked her about it, because she should not have been in your class, she tensed only to lower her head in what you took as bashfulness and stuttered that she skipped a grade in High School and graduated early.

So you're dating a genius?

There’s still so much for you to learn.

You haven't planned anything big for Kim knowing how anxious she gets in crowds, so you settled for inviting Billy, Jason, Zack and Tommi, who were now a fully-fledged couple, your family, and Miss Banks, whom you'd discovered was Kim's relative and was insisting that you call her Rita. You're stuck between being excited about finally meeting a family member of your girlfriend's and wondering if she has anymore family.

You settle for being excited and pester _Rita_ about stories of Kim as a child. Without hesitation she tells you stories of a little Kim, who was unsurprisingly just as spirited and creative as adult Kim. You notice she _also_ skips any detail about Kim's parents.

You're all enjoying a few drinks in yours and Kim's shared apartment living room when you notice two people are missing. Excusing yourself you go to look for Rita and Kim.

You don't mean to eavesdrop but you can't help it.

 _"I can't tell her Rita."_ You hear through the closed bedroom door. _Tell me what?_

 _"You can't hide this from her forever, Kimberly."_ You hear a sniffle and then a broken.

_"I know."_

_"Maybe she'll take it well."_ Rita says hopefully and you hear Kim scoff.

 _"Yeah right, I've been practically lying to her for the whole time we've been dating, Rita, I can tell she's going to take it_ splendidly." _She's been lying to me?_

You can't help the tears that prick your eyes at the confession, but you don't interrupt them, you want to gather as much information as possible before you go in there all guns blazing. If there's one thing you hate it's being lied to.

 _"Don't get snappy with me, I'm your Guardian, remember that. You may be perpetually 21, but that doesn't mean you should act it. If Trini was no good and would turn her back on you do you think I would've let her near you and partnered you two for that project years ago?" What?!_ There was a pause. _"No. the answer is no and you know it. You need to tell her."_ You take that as your cue and walk in to the room catching both women off guard.

You’ve known, from the moment Kim started to let you into her life, that she carried a darkness in her life; something she had been keeping from you, and you were _so_ smitten that you let it go. Let go all the details of her life she kept from you, knowing she had her reasons, knowing but not caring that the details she _did_ give you were breadcrumbs and you happily ate them up because you were so in love. 

_Are_ so in love, but you have your limits and you want to move forward, hopefully _with_ Kim, and healthy relationships aren’t built on false foundations. Which is why you puff up your chest, take a few deep, calming breaths, and make your presence known.

"Tell me what?"

**23**

You haven't spoken to Kim in three months. Not for lack of trying. She told you something that you never thought would be real and you don't know if she's telling the truth or if she's delusional.

One day she's telling you she's an Angel, and _actual_ Angel, like the ones who live in heaven with big white wings and are sent from God to watch over people, and the next she's disappearing off the face of the earth. Rita, too. You've been living in a state of shock since she left and you can't seem to snap yourself out of it.

You don't know if the two of you are broken up or still together, your family were devastated to find that Kim had disappeared, bearing in mind it took you a month to muster up the courage to even tell them.

There's a knock at your door but you ignore it and remain in bed, enjoying what little peace and quiet you've been allowed on your birthday. The knocking gets more urgent and you don't know if you're imagining things but you swear you can hear someone crying out to you.

You jump out of bed and walk slowly to the door. The knocking gets louder and you can definitely hear crying come from the other side.

It takes five seconds for you to run to the door, open it, and have your heart nearly fall out of your chest at the sight in front of you. Kim is there, on the floor, weakly knocking thin air as sobs wracked her shaking, weak body. It takes another few seconds for you to take notice of the blood seeping through the clothes on her back until it forms a crimson puddle on the floor.

"Oh my God." You gasp out and drop to your knees so you can cradle Kim's shaking body. "What happened to you?" You ask and your reply is a sob as Kim finally notices your presence and wraps her arms tightly around your body, clinging on for dear life. After a few attempts at trying to lift Kim, who is practically dead weight, you successfully carry her into your apartment and sit on the couch with her nestled across your lap.

Her grip hasn't lessened for the past half hour and her sobs have only turned into whimpers. The blood on her back is still flowing, staining your clothes and your couch but you can't find it in yourself to care because all you want to know is _what happened to her?_

"Kim?" No response. It's been close to three hours since you moved to the couch and she had been crying and shaking for the past two. You lean forward slightly and you take note of her steadied breathing and closed eyes. The poor girl has cried herself into exhaustion.

Carefully, you rise from the couch, with Kim carried bridal style in your arms, and make your way into the bathroom. Sitting her on the counter you slowly pull away so you can take her top off. A barely conscious Kim lifts her arms; it takes a little tugging as the dried blood has sealed it to her skin, causing you to gag a few times. But that doesn't compare to your reaction to seeing her back in the mirror on the wall. You nearly vomit everywhere and pass out when you see two large, wide gashes running from her shoulder blades down to where you know her cute little back dimples would be. You can't help the sobs that escape your throat when you see them and you pull Kim, who is still mostly out of it, against your chest and you cradle her head.

Now is the time for you to finally release all the emotions you've been feeling the past three months in Kim's absence. You have no idea how to feel because you’ve been harbouring such anger and hurt for the past three months; anger that she left you without a word, not knowing where she was or if she was okay; hurt because it seemed as if she could leave and live a life so easily without you, while you could barely pull yourself out of bed each day. But above all that you just missed her and wanted her to come home.

You just want to know what happened and then keep her safe from any harm.

It takes you nearly a whole hour to clean the blood from her back, a further twenty to clean another gash you found that runs up her sternum, and another fifteen to carefully dress her wounds with the limited first aid you know.

Dressed in one of your t-shirts and clean underwear, Kim now lies safely in your bed. You stay by her side while she sleeps, content to just watch her rest peacefully until you hear a quiet knock at the door. You're apprehensive to leave her alone in the room, but the quiet knocking is persistent.

Quietly removing yourself from the room, you go to open the door and your heart nearly stops when you see a frazzled Rita on the other side.

"Is she here?" Her voice is full of panic and tears are falling freely from her eyes. "She has to be here, please, please tell me she's here." And that's when Rtia breaks down in your arms, tears streaming down her face and earth shattering sobs wracking her body. She calms each time you to tell her that Kim is here, she's safe, and is currently sleeping in your bed down the hall.

"What happened, Rita?" you ask after the silence becomes too much for you. Rita looks much older in that moment, you notice the creases by her eyes, the lines on her forehead, and how her lips seem perpetually downturned. You notice that she takes a deep breath and closes her eyes to compose herself, much like Kim does, and you wonder if that's where she got it from, seeing as Rita was her Guardian, not that you'd been informed about what that meant, exactly.

"They-they clipped her wings." And that's enough to bring back her sobs but you don't catch her this time because you're too shocked.

_She was telling the truth._

And the next thing you know everything has turned black.

**23 and a day**

You wake up with a comfortable weight on your chest and something cold on your forehead. It takes you a little while to grow accustomed to the blinding sunlight seeping through your open window. You look down and find Kim sleeping contently on your chest with her arms and legs wrapped tightly around your body. Everything feels normal and you think these past three months have just been some weird nightmare, until you look around your room and spot Rita sitting on a chair in the corner of your room.

"Hey." Her voice is quiet so she doesn't disturb the slumbering girl in your arms. You carefully extract yourself from her embrace and when you're standing you take the wet cloth that was on your head to the en suite bathroom and upon exiting you motion for Rita to follow you into the kitchen. Once there, you turn your coffee machine on and lean against the counter. Rita sits at one of the stools and you both stay there in silence while the coffee brews and you pour it into two mugs for the both of you.

"I need you to tell me everything you know, Rita."

And so she did.

"Kim hasn't always been an Angel, when she was 21, she was killed in a heist of the local bank when she tried to save her younger sister, Katherine. She was brought back because the elders, who are really just glorified angels if you ask me, brought her back because they deemed her act heroic, which it was. This was a hundred years ago, nearly to the date.”

That sentence makes you pause, it finally making sense why it had always seemed that Kim had lived many lives.

“Now, I've always been an Angel but I'm from a line of guardian Angels that are sent to the lost souls to watch over them when they're sent back down to earth for their angelic duties. I was only assigned to Kim that first year she met you, actually, before that I'd been dormant, although I knew who Kim was.”

You wonder how she knew Kim before, filing that information away to ask about later, letting Rita continue in her explanation. 

“My destiny was to make sure she found you, seeing as you are the only one who could heal her, so to speak. And she did, she found you and she fell in love, but she was never meant to stay this long and expose what she was, at least according to the elders. So when they found out what she'd done they summoned her back to heaven." Rita starts to choke up so you reach a hand across the table to grip her own in an act of support.

"I told them I wanted to be human again." You and Rita jump at the sudden sound of Kim's voice. You turn to see her and she looks ghostly, her skin has taken a grey tinge, her cheeks are gaunt, eyes heavy with bags, and there's barely anything of her. 

"I've been 21 for a hundred years, I've fallen in and out of love with dozens of people, and I've seen the rise of justice and the fall of leaders. I've lived through war, I've lived through change. I've experienced a lot of things but the one thing I never got to experience was to grow old with someone, the thing I've craved for some years now, and then I found you." Her voice is a whisper as she looks directly in to your eyes, her own filled with tears. You don't hesitate for a second before you pull her into your arms, careful not to hold her too tight in fear of aggravating her wounds. 

"They put me through hell these past three months." She murmured into your shoulder. The irony of her choice of words not at all lost on you "But I'm human, again." You pull away from the embrace at her words, shocked at the revelation. Kim just looks down at you, her eyes misty but never losing that soft shine she always has when she looks at you.

“I’ve lived so many lives, but all I want is to be able to live one life, one _good_ life, with you. That is, if you still want that. With me.” Kim’s words taper off and you realise how unsure she had become in what she’s saying; in what she’s asking of you. You don’t hesitate to pull her back into a tight embrace, content to never let her go again.

"Of course I do, Kim." You whisper into her hair. "There's no one else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with."

"I'm glad to hear that.

**23¼**

Kim's decided to go back to school, just an accelerated language course to rekindle herself with her native language, to finally experience what it's like to actually grow up with the rest of her class. You don't blame her and over the past three months the both of you have worked on rekindling your bond and you find that the both of you are much more honest with each other now than you used to be.

It took a few weeks, but with yours and Rita's support and belief, Kim managed to explain to your family, Tommi, and the boys, exactly what happened. They were incredulous to begin with, but with the proof that came with Rita who is still an angel and Kim's injuries from her ordeal, it didn't take long for their minds to change, and then to engulf you and Kim in the tightest group hug you have ever experienced.

You don't think you could've asked for a better response.

**23¾**

Kim is _finally_ turning 22, after a century of being forced to stay 21, she is finally able to grow older. You don't notice a physical change in her but mentally you notice how she just seems to radiate joy and happiness today. You know that she used to resent her birthday, but this year she could not have been happier to have it

You know there’s still a lot she’s getting used to, being human again; like not being as impervious to damage, or having flawless skin. You know she’s still getting used to the big, harsh scars on her skin, and the fact that they'll never fully go away.

You know that Kim is a lot more open now than she was when you first met her. Even when the two of you had been dating she was more than a little closed off.

You know sometimes she feels like she's too old, but you just remind her that she technically wasn't _living_ during those years, so as far as you're concerned she's now restarting her life as a healthy, alive, 22 year old with an old soul, and she has the birth certificate (courtesy of Rita pulling a few strings) to prove it.

You've known each other for over five years and have been together for three of them. You've been through some pretty hard shit together and you can't imagine spending the rest of your life with anyone else. You think today might just be the day you ask Kim to marry you.

**23¾ (9 hours later)**

"Yes, of course!"

_Fin_

**Author's Note:**

> lemme know what y'all think :D


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